


Trios Are Tricky

by shewarbler



Category: Dalton Academy Series
Genre: Everyone Needs A Hug, Gen, I feel like I want to tag this as a tw for blood, Violence, but idk, hurtful words
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-31
Updated: 2019-01-31
Packaged: 2019-10-19 17:16:57
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,672
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17605565
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/shewarbler/pseuds/shewarbler
Summary: Logan has a bone to pick. Derek doesn't want to be picked anymore. Julian just wants everything to be okay.





	Trios Are Tricky

Derek had just finished up in rowing practice and was starting to head across campus toward Stuart house when Logan found him. From the fiery expression on the Prefect’s face and his determined strides, Derek could tell even before Logan reached him that he was itching for a fight. But Derek, who was in no mood to deal with this today, elected to ignore Logan entirely. Having been forced to bear the brunt of Logan’s violent mood swings for the past few weeks since Hummel’s arrival, Derek was close to his own breaking point. While most people didn’t know, or at least didn’t see, he had been working through his own struggles. The overall combination of schoolwork, extracurriculars, his struggles with Casey, keeping Julian’s secret _and_ lack of sleep; the constant drama that generated around Logan lately was just the sour cherry on top of a precariously balanced stress cake.

_No,_ Derek thought, _not today_ as Logan stormed across the grounds toward him. He let out a puff of air, hoisted his gym bag higher on his shoulder and turned the other way.

“Hey, Derek!” Logan called as Derek started to walk away. He didn’t respond. “Derek! Don’t walk away from me!”

“Leave me alone, Logan.” Derek warned, concentrating on keeping his feet moving and head straight.

“Derek! We need to talk!”

Realising quickly that Logan wasn’t going to give up, Derek slowed to a stop with a sigh and allowed him to catch up. “What is it Logan? I have stuff to do.”

Logan rounded on Derek the instant they were level. “What kind of stuff, huh? Secret meetings with Julian? Phone calls to my Father? Did you really think I wouldn’t find out who called him?”

Logan spat the words so forcefully that anyone else would have retreated. But not Derek – not anymore. Instead Derek momentarily closed his eyes and let out a slow, steadying breath before meeting Logan’s eyes and matching his stern gaze.

“I’m not doing this right now, Logan.” Speaking with finality, Derek gave Logan a final warning as he spun on his heel and resumed his previous trek across campus.

“Don’t you dare turn your fucking back on me!” Logan called after him. Derek quickened his pace as Logan’s footsteps followed him. “Why won’t you admit it?”

“Because I didn’t do it.” Derek answered back weakly, quickly realising it was pointless to argue with Logan in this state.

Around them, Derek could feel the curious eyes of day students and boarders alike following their movements and listening to their voices. Some, like Derek’s teammates and Logan’s fellow Warblers, watched a little more cautiously: carefully monitoring the interaction for any signs that they would have to intervene.

“Liar.” Logan growled at Derek, the venom in his voice causing Derek’s fists to clench tightly around his bag strap. He kept walking. “Just tell the truth Derek. You called my Father to tell him I wasn’t taking my meds. Was it because you wanted to get on his good side? Thought he’d owe you one if you ratted me out? Or can you just not bear to see me happy with someone like Kurt because Casey told you where you could shove your own feelings?”

Derek stopped walking. His blood boiled in a way that made his skin itch all over; anger pounding through him as Logan’s spiteful words echoed in his ears. Before he could stop them, Derek’s feet were moving. His bag slipped to the ground with a heavy thud as he turned and, not missing the briefest flash of panic that grazed Logan’s features, grabbed him by the lapels of his blazer and pinned him to the red brick of the gym hall with a violent thud. Logan’s head rattled against the wall dangerously – but Derek didn’t care. What he lacked in height, he made up for with strength, so keeping Logan pinned to the wall proved to be a simple task only aided by the rush of adrenaline Derek’s burning rage provided him with.

“Cut the bullshit Logan. I didn’t fucking call your fucking Father. Why would I?” Derek stood firm against Logan’s struggling and stared deep into his blazing green eyes; despite his anger, still hoping to convey honesty.

“Like I said,” Logan replied, fighting back against Derek’s tight hold on him, “You don’t want to see Kurt and I together.”

“Oh my god Logan, get a grip!” Derek snapped as a small crowd began to gather a safe distance away, “He doesn’t want you! What about that don’t you understand?!”

Toward the edge of the crowd a small group of Windsor’s had formed an instinctive, protective line between Kurt and the trouble. Charlie took a few hesitant steps forward, his expression obviously torn between concern and anger as he watched the struggle.

Logan wrapped long fingers around Derek’s wrists, just below where his fists remained bunched in Logan’s blazer and pulled down – _hard_.

It should have hurt.

It should have made Derek pull away; curse in pain; give Logan his freedom.

Instead, Derek responded by pressing his supposed best friend further against the sharp brick behind them, causing Logan’s heels to inch away from the ground.

“Not yet he doesn’t! I just have to keep trying! Why don’t _you_ understand that’s why I don’t want my meds?!” Logan yelled at Derek a little desperately, trying not to visibly wince in response to the sharp brick scratching against his skin. _Why didn’t Derek understand?_

As he stared at Logan in disbelief, Derek couldn’t stop the dark bubble of laughter that escaped from his chest. Shaking his head slightly, Derek found his voice to be remarkably calm the next time he spoke.

“I’ve had enough of this, Logan. It’s fucking ridiculous. You need to get your shit together big time before someone gets hurt. Someone _else_ , I should say.” Derek added after only a moment’s hesitation.

Watching the way Logan’s eyes darkened at his last few words, Derek knew they had reached a point of no return. The two Stuart’s glared at each other with enough force to burn, so engorged in their own actions that they failed to notice the third member of their trio weave his way through the crowd and stop short when he realised what the commotion was. Even from a distance, the panic was evident on Julian’s face as he assessed the situation; his eyes darting back and forth between his two friends as he tried to formulate a plan.

Before Julian could implement any kind of intervention however, Logan lowered his face to within centimetres of Derek’s, “Go on then. Hit me. Knock some sense into me. I know you want to.”

“You’re not worth the bruised knuckles, Logan.” Derek growled back, their voices so low they almost didn’t carry to the onlookers.

“Fucking hit me, Derek! Do it!” Logan yelled louder this time, making Derek instinctively pull himself back a little – although he still held Logan in a tight grip.

“Why?” Derek questioned, words flying out of his mouth without a seconds’ thought, “So you can actually _feel_ something for once in your pathetic life? Like I said, _you’re not worth it.”_

Logan’s nostrils flared and his chest heaved with the rage burning through him. Derek’s fists remained clenched against Logan’s shoulders and he held Logan’s gaze with an unwavering intensity that matched the green fire.

Logan smirked – just once – and everything became so much worse.

In one swift motion, Logan had let go of Derek’s wrists and used one hand to grab a hold of his tie while the other connected with Derek’s jaw with enough force to level a small house. Derek’s head whipped to the side as his eyes widened in surprise, his hands letting go of Logan to help balance his body in response to the hit. Within seconds however, Derek had steadied himself and was ready for Logan’s next swing. Bringing his arm up to block Logan’s hand, Derek brought his own fist up and felt a jolt of pain shoot through his arm as his knuckles cracked against Logan’s nose, immediately drawing blood.

Logan wiped at his face and stared at the back of his hand for a moment, examining the blood almost curiously before shucking himself free of his blazer and advancing on Derek without a second thought. Successfully missing Logan’s next shot – for a fencer, he had remarkably easy to read body language – Derek managed to land a fist into the blondes’ ribs and shove him backward. As Logan stumbled, he caught sight of Charlie and the Brightman’s hurrying toward them, clearly intent on separating the two of them.

“Stay the fuck back, Windsor!” Logan demanded without looking at them, “If Derek thinks he can take me, let him have his fun.”

“You’re such a dick, you know that? More like your Father than you even realise.” Derek said, no longer holding himself back.

“You take that back.” Logan said while pointing a threatening finger, “That’s not true.”

With the knowledge he was getting to Logan, Derek continued to bait him, hoping for an explosive reaction that meant he could trip the taller boy and land him on his ass.

“ _Make me._ ”

Clearly distressed, Julian looked to those around him for help: searching the crowd for someone, _anyone_ , who would stop his world from falling apart right in front of him. As his friend’s began shoving at each other again, hands being raised and swatted away, Julian decided his best option was to split them up himself. A hand on his elbow stopped him however – Bailey.

“Don’t.” the fellow Stuart ordered, reading his actions before he even moved on them, “Don’t get between them.”

_I already am_ , Julian thought to himself. _This is probably my fault_.

“Guys come one. Stop being ridiculous.” Charlie pleaded with the two Stuarts, obviously eager to avoid the fuss.

“He’s had this coming for a long time. The only ridiculous thing here is _him_.” Derek responded, eyes narrowed in Logan’s direction.

“I haven’t done anything wrong!” Logan yelled exasperatedly, throwing his hands up in defence, “He’s the one who turned on me!”

“Cause it’s never your fault, is it Logan?” Derek said sarcastically, “You’re always innocent. Even if you’re in the middle of it all!”

Logan lunged forward and grabbed Derek’s shirt in both hands, flipping him round so quickly Derek’s body moved while his feet stayed still. He landed on his back in a painful heap and before he could react, Logan was clambering on top of him trying to pin his arms down under his knees and hammering fists on Derek’s face.

“Fuck you Derek.” Logan said through gritted teeth, “This is your fucking fault.” He continued, each statement punctuated with a slap or a punch or a grab. “Not mine!”

Struggling to recover from Logan’s unrelenting attack, Derek tried to fight back. He attempted to pull himself free from Logan’s hold; made the effort to move his head in ways to avoid the contact. He could feel the blood seeping from his nose and pooling in his mouth. Logan’s weight was crushing his chest. _Maybe_ , Derek found himself thinking, _maybe_ _if he gave up, he wouldn’t have anything else to worry about._ Logan could punch and punch until there was nothing left of him.

Maybe that was for the best.

Maybe.

“Logan! _Stop! Please!_ ” Julian’s cries eventually burst through the bubble of anger surrounding Derek and Logan, causing both of them to turn toward the unexpected sound.

Julian looked horrified. If it weren’t for Bailey and Dwight holding him back (with great difficulty, they noted) they knew Julian would be pulling them apart himself with everything he had. Seemingly breaking out of a haze, Logan stared at Julian for a long moment before looking back at Derek and hesitating before he moved again.

Except this time, Derek didn’t hesitate.

He brought a knee up sharply and made sure to land it square in Logan’s groin, and continued to move fast immediately following the blonde’s recoil and yelp of pain. Derek managed to wriggle an arm free and grab a handful of Logan’s hair, and expertly flipped them over to put him on top of Logan. Aware of bodies advancing on him from all directions, Derek let go.

He let go of everything.

All the anger. The hurt. The frustration and the pain.

Derek channelled it all into his fists and took it out on Logan’s face. It wasn’t fair, he knew. But once he started, he couldn’t stop.

“After everything I’ve done for you!” Derek yelled at Logan louder than he ever had before, “All the secrets! All the cover ups! All the fucking bullshit I’ve put up with!” The punches kept coming. Derek was seeing red and he wasn’t sure if it was because of the blood dripping into his eye or something turning evil inside him. “ _And this is how you repay me?!_ ”

Derek’s voice cracked at the same time Julian’s did, who was screaming for both his friends. Tears streamed his face as he watched on in horror the blood spread over Logan’s face with punch after punch after punch.

It wasn’t until hands grabbed at him from all angles – his shirt, his arms, his waistband – that Derek really registered what he was doing.

His hands ached. His face ached. His heart ached.

“I think he’s had enough, Derek.” Someone said. Maybe Spencer?

“Walk away, Seigerson.” Charlie, maybe?

“What the fuck, man.” Danny?

Derek’s arms fell lifelessly to his side and he stared as Logan slowly sat up with the help of the Brightman Twins. The most unsettling thing about the situation wasn’t Logan’s bloodied face, nor was it the disgusted, disappointed looks he was getting from his schoolmates. No, the worst thing Derek experienced was his _lack_ of disgust; his lack of remorse or sorrow or guilt.

He felt nothing.

“Go,” Charlie ordered him, “Now. Before things get worse, if that’s even possible. I’ll find you later.”

Derek wordlessly turned and stumbled in the general direction of Stuart house. He spat blood to the ground and winced at the pain to his face the sensation caused. The rich, copper taste still remained on his tongue – a tangy reminder of what just happened.

A quick glance to his side allowed Derek to see Julian running to him, finally free of his own restraints. But Derek knew better than to expect Julian to pick him over Logan. Julian never picked anyone over Logan. Not even himself.

“Don’t bother, Julian.” Derek said without even looking at his friend, “Don’t. Just go to him. We both know you want to.”

“Wait, Derek. Let me -” Julian reached a hand out to Derek’s shoulder only to have it viciously batted away. Julian couldn’t hide the hurt on his face or the tears welling in his eyes. “Derek. Please.”

Without another word, Derek scooped up his bag and marched directly away from the crowd that had gathered to watch three boys potentially lose everything important to them. At best, it was damaged, able to be repaired with band aids and apologies: at worst, it was broken beyond repair, and even metal plates couldn’t put it back together.

Julian watched helplessly as Derek walked off without even a second glance backwards. He looked to Logan, who was being gingerly helped to his feet by Charlie’s gentle hands and soothing words. And he didn’t know what to do; who to go to, who to choose. Remaining in the spot Derek left him, Julian looked between his two friends and felt more useless than he had in his entire life.

It wasn’t until he was halfway across the courtyard and out of sight of the others that Derek finally stopped, concerned at the volume of blood that appeared to be trickling down his face. It wasn’t until Derek stopped to think, stopped to _breathe_ , that it hit him as he raised a hand to his face.

Derek had been crying from the instant he threw his first punch.

*


End file.
